People with diabetes advised to avoid 'crusty' cooked foods

Cooking methods that produce a crust - such as that found on a grilled burger or the edge of a brownie - should be avoided by those with diabetes, new research suggests.

A very high, intense dry heat can cause by-products called AGEs to form when preparing foods.

These are associated with the build-up of plaques in the blood vessels, which are already a potential problem for those with diabetes.

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AGEs can cause 'long-term damage' in people with diabetes, according to Karen Chapman-Novakofski, professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, whose findings are published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition.

The team's research found that people who ate larger amounts of these by-products tended to have higher rates of cardiovascular complications.

A study involving 65 people found that for each unit increase in AGE consumption, a person's risk of cardiovascular disease increased 3.7-fold.

'These findings are preliminary, but they give us ample reason to further explore the association between AGEs and cardiovascular risk among people with diabetes,' Dr Chapman-Novakofski added.

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